The invention relates to a suction base for an apparatus support device as used for example in motor vehicles for supporting minicomputers (so-called PDA's), mobile navigation apparatus, mobile telephones and similar devices on smooth surfaces such as the windshield of the motor vehicle. The windshields provide a perfectly smooth surface suitable for the attachment of a suction base for supporting a particular apparatus in the field of view of a driver.
The attachment of such a suction base to the windshield however also results in a heavy exposure of the suction base to solar radiation. The suction base generally consists of a housing of rigid plastic material and a suction membrane of a soft plastic which forms the bottom of the suction base. The suction membrane is provided at its center with the shaft of an operating mechanism by which the suction membrane is movable, by means of an operating lever, between a release position and a suction position.
The suction membrane generally consists of PVC, which includes a plasticizer. However, at high temperatures, that is, particularly when exposed to solar radiation, some of the plasticizer is released from the PVC material of the suction membrane. As a result—among other negative effects—the suction membrane adheres to the housing edge, particularly at temperatures above 60°. This detrimentally affects the movability of the suction membrane and the functioning of the suction base and renders the suction base useless over a period of time.
It is the object of the present invention to eliminate this problem.